UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in ‘targeted shooting’ outside New York hotel, officials say
Updated: 9:52 PM EST Dec 4, 2024
In midtown Manhattan early this morning, 50 year old Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare was shot and killed in what appears at this early stage of our investigation to be *** brazen targeted attack. This does not appear to be *** random act of violence. The victim was in New York City to speak at an investor conference. It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes and as the victim was walking to the conference hotel, the suspect approached from behind and fired several rounds striking the victim at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf, many people passed the suspect but he appeared to wait for his intended target. The suspect fled first on foot then on an E bike and was last seen in central park on center drive early this morning. The victim was removed to Roosevelt Hospital where he was pronounced. We’ve been in touch with his family, his friends and his colleagues and they are very much in our thoughts and prayers at this hour. The full investigative efforts of the New York City Police Department are well underway and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter. In this case, the women and men of the NYPD take enormous pride in the work that they do each day and each night to drive down crime and violence in our city. Right now, we are asking the public for your help. If you have any information about this case, call crime stoppers at 805 77 tips, we have increased the reward in this case to $10,000. I want to be clear at this time. Every indication is that this was *** premeditated, pre planned targeted attack. Millions of people will be enjoying the tree lighting tonight. Among other holiday events and the NYPD will be out there with them, keeping them safe for some preliminary details about today’s tragic incident. I pass it over to our chief of detectives chief Joe Kenny. Thank you, Commissioner. The information I’m about to give you is preliminary as our investigation is continuing this morning at 6:46 a.m. Patrol officers from Midtown North precinct responded to *** 911 call of *** person shot in front of the Hilton Hotel located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. This is between West 53rd street and West West 54th street. At 6:48 a.m. Officers arrive and find the victim. Brian R Thompson, *** 50 year old male on the sidewalk in front of the Hilton with gunshot wounds to his back and leg Mr Thompson was removed by Ems the Roosevelt hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. Mr Thompson is the CEO of United Health Care and resides in Minnesota. Detectives from night watch midtown North detective squad and Manhattan South homicide responded to the scene and began their investigation. What we know is that the shooter arrived at the location on foot about five minutes prior to the victim’s arrival. He stands alongside the building line as numerous other people and pedestrians pass him by from video we see at 6:44 a.m. the victim is walking alone towards the Hilton after exiting his hotel across the street, we believe the victim was headed to the Hilton Hotel to attend the United Health Group Investors conference that was scheduled to start at 8 a.m. The shooter appears to be *** light skinned male. He’s wearing *** light brown or cream colored jacket, *** black face mask, black and white sneakers and *** very distinctive gray backpack. The shooter steps onto the sidewalk from behind the car. He ignores numerous other pedestrians approaches the victim from behind and shoots him in the back. The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot. It appears that the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again. The shooter then flees on foot northbound into an alleyway between 54th street and 55th street. Once at West 55th Street, the shooter continues to walk westbound on the Avenue of the Americas where he gets onto an electric E bike and rides northbound on the Avenue America’s towards Central Park where at 6:48 a.m. we have the shooter riding this bike into central park at center drive at the scene, we recover three live nine millimeter rounds and three discharged nine millimeter shell casings. The motive for this murder currently is unknown. But based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted. But at this point, we do not know why this does not appear to be *** random act of violence. We are seeking information from the public to help identify the shooter. As the commissioner said, we have upped the reward of up to $10,000 for information. You’re urged to contact crime stoppers at 1 805 77 tips, all information will be kept anonymous. Thank you very much. Um So it’s about an hour and 20 minutes before the start of the conference. Is there any indication that he was going to meet someone because it’s pretty early. Is he on his way to meet someone there at the conference? He leaves the hotel dressed like he’s going to be attending the conference. We’re working with his coworkers and other people that he planned on attending the conference with to get that at the. But as of right now, he’s, you know, in charge of the conference So we believe he’s getting there to help set up. Ok. And then just the city bike, if I may do we know where that city bike is? Now? Does he dock it or does he keep riding it? We’re still tracking video. The last we see with him on that bike is in central because is there *** way to track that bike through the gps on those bikes? We’ll be working with the company and chief from, were any words exchanged? If so, what were the words? Uh And uh, I’m told the cell phone was covered uh, in alleyway on his escape route. Uh Does that appear to be connected? We’re working through that cell phone. Obviously, we’ll be processing it forensically and as far as words being exchanged, we do not have audio of the incident. We only have the regular video. Nothing. Well, there was one witness standing right next to the victim when he was shot. We’re still trying to identify that victim. Excuse me. Excuse me, that witness to Eric. Thank you. Um Chief, was he checked into the hotel across the street alone? Was he in the city alone? Was he accompanied by, by anybody? Did he have any known enemies or, or anyone that you’ve been able to find so far? Like I said, we’re, we’re reaching out to law enforcement in Minnesota and we’re also interviewing his, his coworkers and family members to see if there have been any specific threats against him in the past as far as who was he, uh, in the hotel with, uh, we’re doing *** search warrant in his hotel room right now that might lead us, uh, give us some more information. All right, we’re gonna go over to, uh, Dean Moses. So based on the surveillance, um, do you feel like he’s professional? You mentioned that you need to put in spell specialist? What, um, I’ll answer the part about whether or not he’s *** professional that, you know, we have no way of knowing that. Um from watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly. But as far as the tree lighting, I’ll, I’ll leave that to Chief Magic. Good morning Dean. Uh just really quick. We don’t, this incident will not affect the tree lighting. The tree lighting is slated to start at 7 p.m. The show, the actual lighting of the tree will be close at 10 o’clock. Actually 9:55 p.m. We will have *** massive police presence out there around Rockefeller Center from 52nd street all the way down to 47th street. We will have plainclothes out there, *** plainclothes detail out there. We will have our, our CRC assets, our spec uh strategic res response group assets. We will have our intel division out there. Uh *** lot of assets out there to make sure people can come out and have *** good time and we’re gonna have additional police officers in the subways as well so people can take mass transit to make it easier to travel into the city and enjoy the tree. Uh This is *** terrible event, but we’re going to go on and people are gonna enjoy the tree lighting tonight. Um I wonder if you could tell me the mayor said that there was evidence recovered at the scene that would indicate that this was not *** random event. I wonder if you could tell me what that evidence was. And by looking at the gun, it appears that there’s *** silencer on the gun. Was there *** silencer on the gun? And does this indicate not only that it was premeditated, but this is somebody who knew his way around guns and might have been *** professional. Once again, we won’t know that until we complete our investigation and identify the shooter or recover that firearm. You know, you see *** glimpse of the gun in video. So we’re not able to make *** determination on whether or not *** silencer was used on that quick glimpse of video. We can’t tell from that little glimpse of video. I’m not going to commit to saying that at this time that would be part of our investigation. There’s ***, there’s *** cell phone recovered in the alleyway and once again, we will process that forensically and see if it comes back to this shooting. Once again, this investigation is less than five hours old. That will be part of our investigation arrived in New York City. Uh, my understanding is he staying close, reverse video and incubated it as of right now, based on the current video that we do have, it doesn’t appear that they crossed paths and he arrived in New York on Monday. All right, we’re gonna take two or three more. Rocco, uh, chief, did he, uh, typically travel with *** security detail? And even though it’s early, is there anything to indicate that there had been issues with, let’s say *** patient who was denied coverage either, uh, back in Minnesota or Mo more recently, you know, someone who lives here from, from speaking to other employees that traveled with him to New York. It doesn’t seem that he had his security detail. Uh, he left the hotel by himself, uh, was walking, uh, didn’t seem like he had any issues at all. Um, so I don’t think he did not have *** security detail as far as I know that that’s, that’s typically an issue with these major companies. Any, any reason to believe he had been the subject of ***, of *** threat. On once again, we’re, we’re, we’re looking at everything, we’re looking at his social media, we are interviewing employees, we are interviewing family members, we will be speaking to law enforcement in Minnesota. Sorry, I was just going to ask if any cursory, look at any social media, whether it’s the company, whether it’s his personal social media, his family, is there anything obvious that sticks out at this early stage? We have not uncovered anything at this time? The investigation is still too early. How’s it going? Um, you know, with the suspects still at large last year in Central Park, are you urging New Yorkers to avoid the park? Is the NYPD deploying its drones? Uh I know they recently started doing that in the park. And then also I was wondering, is there any indication when he gets this city bike that he’s *** city bike member? It’s like sometimes if you’re not *** member, you can uh pay to use it. I don’t know if you’re able to talent it real the city. But uh the chief of detect was the answer the part about the city bike. But in terms of we’re, we’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business. But to be alert, we put the picture out. You’re putting the picture out. We want people to take *** look if they see anything suspicious. If they hear anything suspicious, we ask them to call 911 to reach out to our detectives, uh with an incident like this, of course, we put uh uh *** heavy deployment into Manhattan. We put additional resources out. We have the drones up, we have aviation out, we have canine out when an incident like this happens, we don’t spare any, any expense. We put all of our resources out there to support the chief of detectives mission and to keep New Yorkers safe. So we will have *** massive presence out there around the tree lighting, but throughout Manhattan as well until more information develops and we’re able to support the chief of detectives and what he needs to make *** quick arrest as far as where he got the city bike. We’re still working that through. Like I said, we’re, we’re pulling video from numerous locations, numerous sources and we have him on our timeline walking. And what we’re very fortunate is he has that very distinctive great backpack on. So we see him on one video clip walking and then another source of video him riding that bike. So we don’t have video or witness confirmation on how he obtained that bike, cell phone, cell phone was recovered. We will confirm that later on down if we, you know, do our forensic examination. Thank you everyone. Thank you. Thank you for your time and attention.
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UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in ‘targeted shooting’ outside New York hotel, officials say
Updated: 9:52 PM EST Dec 4, 2024
A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby.Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive.“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting “does not appear to be a random act of violence.”Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame.“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said.The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs.“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.The killing shook a part of New York City that’s normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night’s tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event.The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby.“We’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson’s hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said.Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death.“I’m afraid that we — some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today. … I’m sure you’ll understand.”Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.___Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.
A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby.
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive.
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“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting “does not appear to be a random act of violence.”
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame.
“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said.
The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.
The killing shook a part of New York City that’s normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night’s tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event.
The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby.
“We’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said.
Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson’s hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said.
Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.
Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death.
“I’m afraid that we — some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today. … I’m sure you’ll understand.”
Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”
“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.
___
Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.
